Apparatus for cutting and splitting mineral bodies and other materials

ABSTRACT

Multiple tool means for working a material are mounted in a tool-supporting structure. The tool-supporting structure, at one side, is formed with an elongated tool opening to provide for movement of a gang of tools therethrough into and out of engagement with a surface and the body of the material. Each of the tools in the gang may thereafter be selectively actuated. Where desired, greater versatility is realized by mounting additional reciprocating tools in spaced relation around a frame which revolves through an extended arc of travel. Indexing movement of the revolving frame permits any of the tools to be located so as to be advanced and retracted through the said opening of the tool-supporting structure in various positions of angularity along the extended arc of travel. In one desirable form of tool means, multiple wedging forces are exerted to split minerals and other bodies along extended planes of splitting. Specifically the wedging forces may be applied to a mineral body such as granite as it occurs in a natural state, and from which pieces of dimensioned stone may be produced. Controlled splitting is accomplished by a gang of spaced, reciprocating wedge devices together with fluid power-actuated driver means for transmitting driving forces to each of the wedge devices. The wedge devices may be operated simultaneously or separately of one another and the driving forces may be exerted to reach a maximum intensity instantly or applied with gradually increasing intensity. Application of wedging forces may also be preceded by tracing a line of splitting in a rock body and drilling spaced holes along the traced line, and the gang splitting apparatus may further include tracing and drilling means received therewithin. In the rock-splitting apparatus, a revolving frame with attached tools is supported in a frame-supporting structure which is particularly designed for locating the frame in close proximity to a work surface of stone or other material. The framesupporting structure and revolving frame with tools comprise a mobile unit particularly suitable for location against a vertical surface of a mineral body but also applicable to a horizontally disposed work surface or any other disposition of work surface, and in any of these applications, the frame support and frame may be oriented in varying positions of angularity.

United States Patent [191 Fletcher et al.

[451 Feb. 20,1973

[541 AiPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTENG MINERAL BODIES AND OTHERMATERIALS [75] Inventors: Ralph A. Fletcher, Bedford, N.ll.;

Joseph R. Oliver, Lowell, Mass.

[73] Assignee: H. E. Fletcher Co., Westford, Mass.

[22] Filed: April 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 134,975

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 2,489, Jan. 13,1970, Pat. No.

Primary ExaminerEmest R. Purser Attorney-Munroe l-l. Hamilton [57]ABSTRACT Multiple tool means for working a material are mounted in atool-supporting structure. The tool-supporting structure, at one side,is formed with an elongated tool opening to provide for movement of agang of tools therethrough into and out of engagement with a surface andthe body of the material. Each of the tools in the gang may thereafterbe selectively actuated. Where desired, greater versatility is realizedby mounting additional reciprocating tools in spaced relation around aframe which revolves through an extended arc of travel. indexingmovement of the revolving frame permits any of the tools to be locatedso as to be advanced and retracted through the said opening of thetool-supporting structure in various positions of angularity along theextended arc of travel.

In one desirable form of tool means, multiple wedging forces are exertedto split minerals and other bodies along extended planes of splitting.Specifically the wedging forces may be applied to a mineral body such asgranite as it occurs in a natural state, and from which pieces ofdimensioned stone may be produced. Controlled splitting is accomplishedby a gang of spaced, reciprocating wedge devices together with fluidpower-actuated driver means for transmitting driving forces to each ofthe wedge devices. The wedge devices may be operated simultaneously orseparately of one another and the driving forces may be exerted to reacha maximum intensity instantly or applied with gradually increasingintensity.

Application of wedging forces may also be preceded by tracing a line ofsplitting in a rock body and drilling spaced holes along the tracedline, and the gang splitting apparatus may further include tracing anddrilling means received therewithin. In the rocksplitting apparatus, arevolving frame with attached tools is supported in a frame-supportingstructure which is particularly designed for locating the frame in closeproximity to a work surface of stone or other material. Theframe-supporting structure and revolving frame with tools comprise amobile unit particularly suitable for location against a verticalsurface of a mineral body but also applicable to a horizontally disposedwork surface or any other disposition of .work surface, and in any ofthese applications, the

frame support and frame may be oriented in varying positions ofangularity.

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1. An apparatus for splitting a mineral body comprising a toolsupporting structure which includes a cage member, said cage memberbeing formed with end walls and spaced elongated frame components whichdefine a work-engaging side formed with an opening to provide formovement of tools into and out of engagement with a surface of themineral body, a revolving frame rotatably mounted in the end walls ofthe cage member for rotative movement about a common axis which isarranged in substantially parallel spaced relationship to the saidsurface, said revolving frame being of triangular shape and having acentral arbor and spaced tool-retaining elements which are arranged toprovide a tracer bay, a drill bay, and a wedge bay, a retractable tracermechanism supported on adjacent tool-retaining elements in the tracerbay, a plurality of retractable drill units mounted on adjacentretaining members in the drill bay, a plurality of reciprocating wedgedevices adjustably supported on adjacent retaining elements in the wedgebay, and means for indexing the revolving frame into and out ofpositions of register with the said work-engaging side and the openingtherein, and means for selectively advancing and retracting the drillunits and wedge devices along paths of travel lying in one common planewhich intersects the said surface of the mineral body.
 1. An apparatusfor splitting a mineral body comprising a tool supporting structurewhich includes a cage member, said cage member being formed with endwalls and spaced elongated frame components which define a work-engagingside formed with an opening to provide for movement of tools into andout of engagement with a surface of the mineral body, a revolving framerotatably mounted in the end walls of the cage member for rotativemovement about a common axis which is arranged in substantially parallelspaced relationship to the said surface, said revolving frame being oftriangular shape and having a central arbor and spaced tool-retainingelements which are arranged to provide a tracer bay, a drill bay, and awedge bay, a retractable tracer mechanism supported on adjacenttool-retaining elements in the tracer bay, a plurality of retractabledrill units mounted on adjacent retaining members in the drill bay, aplurality of reciprocating wedge devices adjustably supported onadjacent retaining elements in the wedge bay, and means for indexing therevolving frame into and out of positions of register with the saidwork-engaging side and the opening therein, and means for selectivelyadvancing and retracting the drill units and wedge devices along pathsof travel lying in one common plane which intersects the said surface ofthe mineral body.
 2. A structure according to claim 1 in which thecentral arbor member extended through one of the end walls of the cagemember and is of hollow construction for receiving pressurized fluidstherethrough.
 3. A structure according to claim 2 in which the centralarbor member is provided with fluid conduits connecting with respectivedrill units and wedge devices for selectively actuating same.
 4. Astructure according to claim 3 in which the central arbor at one end isconnected to a fluid pressure-pumping mechanism.
 5. A structureaccording to claim 1 including fluid pressure conduits located aroundthe central arbor in coiled relationship and connected to a source ofcompressed gas, said conduits communicating with fluid conducting lineswhich connect with respective tracer mechanism, drill units and wedgedevices.
 6. An apparatus for working a body of material presenting anexposed surface, said apparatus including a tool-supporting structurehaving a work-engaging side formed with an elongated opening to providefor movement of tools therethrough into engagement with the said exposedsurface, an oscillatable frame, a tubular arbor rotatably mounted in thetool-supporting structure and being centrally received through theoscillatable frame, cutting tools mounted in the oscillating frame forrotative movement about a common axis which is arranged in substantiallyparallel spaced relationship to the said exposed surface, said cuttingtools being extensible and retractable through said elongated openingalong paths of travel lying in one common plane of register whichintersects the exposed surface, power driving means for rotating thetubular Arbor and oscillatable frame into successive working positionsin the tool-supporting structure, and fluid power operated means forselectively actuating the said cutting tools when extended in any one ofthe said working positions.
 7. A structure according to claim 8 in whichthe tool-supporting structure includes hanger means for supporting thetool-supporting structure in suspended relationship against a verticalsurface of the material in a position to locate the cutting tools inhorizontally spaced relationship to one another.
 8. A structureaccording to claim 6 in which the tool-supporting structure includeshanger means for supporting the tool-supporting structure in suspendedrelationship against a vertical surface of the material in a position tolocate the cutting tools in vertically spaced relationship to oneanother.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 6 for working a body ofmaterial consisting in a rock mass presenting an exposed verticalsurface and an upper horizontal surface which intersects the verticalsurface, said apparatus including hanger means solidly secured to thetool-supporting structure for engaging against the said vertical surfaceof the rock mass, retaining bracket means fixed to the hangerssubstantially at right angles thereto for overlying said upperhorizontal surface, and holding pin means located at the underside ofthe retaining bracket means for engaging in drilled holes in the saidhorizontal surface.
 10. A structure according to claim 6, in which thetubular arbor includes circular lock plate means fixed at opposite endsof the arbor and having outer peripheral edges formed with spacednotches, arbor locking mechanism supported on the tool-supportingstructure adjacent to the lock plate means, said arbor locking mechanismbeing movable into and out of engagement with the notches to releasablyhold the oscillatable frame in each of the said working positions.
 11. Astructure according to claim 6, in which the tubular arbor includescircular lock plate means fixed at opposite ends of the arbor and havingouter peripheral edges formed with spaced notches, arbor lockingmechanism supported on the tool-supporting structure adjacent to thelock plate means, said arbor locking mechanism being movable into andout of engagement with the notches to releasably hold the oscillatableframe in each of the said working positions, and said arbor lockingmechanism including a locking part slidably received in a guide elementand engageable in the notches, a pivotting arm linked to the lockingpart, spring means for normally retaining the locking part and pivottingarm in a locking position, and fluid pressure actuated means forperiodically moving the arm and locating the locking part out ofengagement with the plate means.
 12. A structure according to claim 6 inwhich the cutting tools include a tracer unit, a drill unit and areciprocating wedge unit, said oscillating frame comprising elongatedframe components arranged in a triangularly disposed manner to supporteach of the cutting tool units around the arbor in equally spacedrelationship for movement into the said successive working positionsthrough arcs of 120*.